There is a technology for displaying a virtual space on a portable display in accordance with a movement or an attitude thereof.
However, the above-described technology is for displaying one virtual space on a single display device, and the range which can be displayed is limited.
Accordingly, an object of the example embodiment is to provide a storage medium storing an information processing program, an information processing device, an information processing system, and an information processing method capable of displaying an image with an improved degree of freedom.
In order to achieve the above object, the example embodiment may adopt, for example, the following structures. It is understood that for interpreting the recitations of the claims, the range thereof is to be interpreted only based on the recitations of the claims, and that in the case where the recitations of the claims are contradictory to the description of the specification, the recitations of the claims are given priority.
An example of structure of a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having an information processing program stored thereon according to the example embodiment is executed by a computer included in an information processing device for displaying a plurality of images on at least one display device. The information processing program allows the computer to execute reading and sequentially acquiring panorama images from a stored panorama moving image every predetermined time for reproduction on the display device, each of the panorama images being a frame of the panorama moving image; setting a range to be displayed in a first display area in each of the acquired panorama images; setting a range to be displayed in a second display area in each of the acquired panorama images; sequentially displaying, in the first display area, the respective ranges of the acquired panorama images which are set to be displayed in the first display area; and sequentially displaying, in the second display area, the respective ranges of the acquired panorama images which are set to be displayed in the second display area.
The above-mentioned “information processing device” may include a device different from the display device, or alternatively, in the case where the display device has an information processing function, the “information processing device” may include may include the display device. In the former case, processes of the example embodiment may be executed by the “different device”, and the display device may perform only the process of displaying an image generated by the “different device”. Alternatively, in the case where the display device has an information processing function, the processes of the example embodiment may be realized by a cooperation of the information processing function of the display device and the information processing function of the “different device”. The “different device” may execute the processes by a plurality of information processing devices in a distributed manner. The “information processing device” may be a game device in the embodiments described below, or a multi-purpose information processing device such as a general personal computer or the like.
In the case where the display device includes one device, the first display area and the second display area may be provided in different areas in a display screen of the display device. In the case where the display device includes two or more devices, the first display area and the second display area may be provided in such different display devices. In this case, the first display area and the second display area may be respectively provided in two portable display devices or may be respectively provided in a portable display device and a non-portable display device.
The above-mentioned “panorama image” may have an angle of field larger than or equal to 180° in one of an up/down direction and a left/right direction. Further, the “panorama image” may have an angle of field of 360° in one of the directions. In the other direction, the “panorama image” may have an angle of field larger than or equal to the image to be displayed on the first display device and/or the second display device. Further, the “panorama image” may have an angle of field which is larger than or equal to twice the angle of field of the image, larger than or equal to 120°, larger than or equal to 150°, or 180°.
The above-mentioned “stored panorama moving image” may be a moving image captured by a panorama moving image capturing function of the information processing device, or a moving image captured by another device having such a moving image capturing function and stored on a predetermined storage medium or the like after being transmitted thereto by a network.
According to the above, at least parts of panorama images included in the panorama moving image are respectively displayed on a plurality of display devices. Therefore, the panorama image can be displayed with a high degree of freedom. The user can display different images on the two display areas in accordance with the situation or the taste of the user, and an image suitable to the viewing of the panorama moving image can be viewed.
The first display area may be provided in a first display device. The second display area may be provided in a second display device which is different from the first display device. The range of each of the acquired panorama images which is to be displayed on the first display device may be set in accordance with a user operation.
In an example, the first display device and the second display device are each a portable display device. In another example, one of the first display device and the second display device is a portable display device and the other is a non-portable display device. In this case, the non-portable display device may be any type of display device which is connected to an information processing device like a monitor 2 in embodiments described later, is separate from the portable display device, and is capable of displaying a display image generated by the information processing device. For example, the non-portable display device may be integral with the information processing device (may be included in one housing).
According to the above, at least parts of panorama images included in the panorama moving image are respectively displayed on a plurality of display devices, and a range of the panorama image to be displayed on at least one display device is set in accordance with the user operation. Therefore, the panorama image can be displayed with an improved degree of freedom. For example, the user can display different images on the two display areas in accordance with the operation state or the taste of the user, and an image suitable to the user operation can be viewed. The image displayed on the second display device can be used as an image to be viewed by another person different from the user. This may provide a viewing environment which is usable in a state where a plurality of people view the panorama image while communicating to the user.
At least parts of a panorama image of the panorama moving image having substantially the same time axis may be respectively displayed on the first display device and the second display device.
In each same panorama image as the panorama image in which the range to be displayed in the first display area has been set, the range to be displayed in the second display area may be set. The ranges to be displayed in the second display area which are respectively set in the same panorama images as the panorama images, the ranges of which are sequentially displayed in the first display area, may be sequentially displayed in the second display area.
According to the above, at least parts of a panorama image of the panorama moving image having substantially the same time axis are respectively displayed on a plurality of display devices. Therefore, images of at least parts of one, same panorama moving image which is being reproduced on the plurality of display devices can be displayed.
The range to be displayed on the first device and the range to be displayed on the second device may be set in accordance with the positional relationship between the first display device and the second display device in a real space.
The information processing program may allow the computer to further execute determining whether or not the positional relationship between the first display device and the second display device in the real space becomes a predetermined positional relationship. In this case, the range to be displayed on the first display device and the range to be displayed on the second display device may be set based on an attitude of the first display device and/or an attitude of the second display device at the time when it is determined that the positional relationship between first display device and the second display device becomes the predetermined positional relationship, in accordance with a change of the attitude.
According to the above, images which might be obtained by peeking into a space formed by the panorama moving image via a plurality of display devices can be displayed.
The first display device may be a portable display device and may be capable of outputting data in accordance with a user operation. In this case, the range to be displayed on the first display device may be set based on the data output from the first display device.
The second display device may be a non-portable display device.
The above-mentioned “portable display device” has a size with which the portable display device can be moved while being held by the user or can be carried to any position by the user. The “portable display device” may have a function of executing the processes of the example embodiment, or may receive an image generated by another information processing device and merely execute the process of displaying the image.
According to the above, a unit for outputting data for changing the display range of the panorama image and a display device for displaying the display area of the panorama image are integrated together. This provides a superb environment for allowing the user holding the display device to display a desired display range.
The first display device may include a sensor for outputting data in accordance with a movement or an attitude of the first display device. In this case, the range to be displayed on the first display device may be set in accordance with the attitude of the first display device which is calculated based on the data output from the sensor.
The above-mentioned “sensor” may be a gyrosensor, an acceleration sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, or any other sensor which outputs data for calculating the attitude of the first display device.
The above-mentioned “setting the range to be displayed in the first display area” is, typically, to move the range to be displayed on the first display device in accordance with the change of the attitude of the first display device in at least the same direction as the change. Alternatively, the above-mentioned “setting the range to be displayed in the first display area” is to increase the amount of movement of the range as the amount of change of the attitude of the first display device is increased. Still alternatively, the above-mentioned “setting the range to be displayed in the first display area” is to make the amount of change of the attitude of the first display device equal to the amount of change of the attitude of the virtual camera for generating the image of the range. The above-mentioned “setting the range to be displayed in the first display area” may be to control the change of the attitude of the virtual camera from the reference attitude to the current attitude in accordance with the change of the attitude of the first display device from the reference attitude to the current attitude, or to control the change of the attitude of the virtual camera from the immediately previous attitude to the current attitude in accordance with the change of the attitude of the first display device from the immediately previous attitude to the current attitude. The above-mentioned “attitude” may be set two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally.
According to the above, by changing the attitude of the display device which is being held, the display range of the panorama image in accordance with the change of the attitude is displayed. Therefore, an image which might be obtained by peeking into a space formed by the panorama moving image via the first display device can be displayed on the first display device.
The sensor may be at least one of a gyrosensor and an acceleration sensor for outputting the data in accordance with a movement or an attitude of the first display device. In this case, the range to be displayed on the first display device may be set in accordance with the attitude of the first display device which is calculated based on the data output from at least one of the gyrosensor and the acceleration sensor easily.
According to the above, by use of the angular velocity data obtained from the gyrosensor or the acceleration data obtained from the acceleration sensor, the attitude of the display device can be calculated.
A predetermined range of the panorama image may be set as the range to be displayed on the second display device.
According to the above, a predetermined range in a space formed by the panorama moving image is always displayed on the second display device. Therefore, the user can always view the predetermined range of the panorama moving image.
The stored panorama moving image may be a panorama moving image which is captured at a point of view moving in a real world or a virtual world. In this case, the predetermined range may be a range of the panorama image captured at the moving point of view as viewed in a direction of moving.
According to the above, a space of the panorama moving image moving toward the position at which the second display device is located can be formed. Thus, the user can view the panorama moving image while recognizing this moving direction.
A range larger than the range of the panorama image to be displayed on the first display device may be set as the range to be displayed on the second display device.
According to the above, a plurality of display devices can be used for different sizes of desirable display range; for example, the second display device is viewed for viewing a larger range.
The first display device may be a portable display device and may be capable of outputting data in accordance with a user operation. The second display device may be a non-portable display device. The range to be displayed on the first display device may be set based on the data output from the first display device. The range which has been set as the range to be displayed on the first display device may be set as the range to be displayed on the second display device.
According to the above, the same range as that of the panorama moving image displayed on the first display device is also displayed on the second display device. Therefore, the panorama moving image viewed by the user operating the portable first display device can be also viewed by another user via the non-portable second display device.
The first display device may be a portable display device and may be capable of outputting data in accordance with a user operation. The second display device may be a non-portable display device. The range to be displayed on the first display device may be set based on the data output from the first display device. The range to be displayed on the second display device may be set based on the range set to be displayed on the first display device, and a range in which a change amount, by which the range to be displayed on the first display device is changed in accordance with a user operation, is suppressed may be set as the range to be displayed on the second display device.
According to the above, when substantially the same range as that of the panorama moving image to be displayed on the portable first display device is to be displayed on the non-portable second display device, the range of the panorama image to be displayed on the first display device is displayed on the second display device in the state where the amount of change in accordance with a user operation is suppressed. Therefore, another user viewing the second display device is prevented from having visually induced motion sickness.
Panorama images read from the stored panorama moving image by decoding may be sequentially acquired. The range to be displayed on the first display device may be set in each of the panorama images acquired by decoding. The range to be displayed on the second display device may be set in each of the panorama images acquired by decoding. The respective ranges, of the panorama images acquired by decoding, which are set to be displayed on the first display device may be sequentially displayed on the first display device. The respective ranges, of the panorama images acquired by decoding, which are set to be displayed on the second display device may be sequentially displayed on the second display device.
According to the above, the panorama images acquired by decoding are respectively displayed on a plurality of display devices. Therefore, the processing load for the display can be reduced.
Data representing an image to be displayed on the first display device may be output to the first display device. The first display device may include an image data acquisition unit. The image data acquisition unit acquires the output data. In this case, a display screen of the first display device may display an image represented by the image data acquired by the image data acquisition unit.
According to the above, the first display device can act as a so-called thin client terminal which does not execute an information process such as a game process or the like.
The second display device may be a portable display device and may be capable of outputting data in accordance with a user operation. The range to be displayed on the second display device may be set based on the data output from the second display device.
According to the above, at least parts of the panorama images can be displayed on a plurality of portable display devices.
The second display device may include a sensor for outputting data in accordance with a movement or an attitude of the second display device. In this case, the range to be displayed on the second display device may be set in accordance with the attitude of the second display device which is calculated based on the data output from the sensor.
According to the above, by changing the attitude of the display devices respectively held by a plurality of users, the display ranges of the panorama image in accordance with the changes of the attitude. Therefore, images which might be obtained by the plurality of users peeking into a space formed by the panorama moving image via the plurality of display devices can be displayed on the respective display devices.
The information processing program may allow the computer to further execute accepting an input from each of input devices associated with the plurality of display devices. In this case, the range to be displayed on the first display device may be set in the acquired panorama image based on the input accepted by a first input device associated with the first display device. The range to be displayed on the second display device may be set in the acquired panorama image based on the input accepted by a second input device associated with the second display device.
According to the above, by operating the input devices respectively corresponding to the display devices, the display range can be freely changed.
The example embodiment may be carried out in the form of an information processing device or an information processing system each including units for performing the above-described processes, or in the form of an information processing method including the above-described operations.
According to the example embodiment, an image can be displayed with an improved degree of freedom.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the example embodiment will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.